Combination lifting and lowering tool for drills



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,322

o. M. CARTER COMBINATION LIFTING AND LOWERING- TOOL FOR DRILLS Filed Dec. 27. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 1 v a i? 2 as 71 z Y n a INVENTOR'} i QMCarten ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1927.

O. M. CARTER COMBINATION LIFTING AND LOWERING TOOL FOR DRILLS w a a a g Q a 9 m 1 w W 1 1 M M M w M l Flled Dec 27 1926 6 Z Q 4 f 1 7. m 9 z 6 M y g a w? 35% j i 4 4 w w z a \\\\V I../ w M I I wn 3 a a L ..9. a 4 L M M M INVENTOR Q. M Carter, BY ATTORNEYS E Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,322

o. M. ,CARTER COMBINATION LIFTING AND LOWERING TOOL FOR DRILLS Fild Dec. 27, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR aMc'arte ATTORNEYS I the jaws,

Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

" UNITED sr'arss OSCAR MARTIN CARTER, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

COMBINATIONVLEFTING- Ann LowEnING TOOL FOR DRILLS.

Application filed December 2 This invention relates in general to means for raising and lowering well drills'and more particularly to a combination lowering and lifting tool especially designed for use in lowering and raising acollapsible rotary drill of the type forming the subject matter of. my co-pen'ding application Serial No. 6%,141, filed June 27, 1923. a

The object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character which securely grips the drill during the lowering operation and during the liftingoperation and'yet is read-- ily and'easily engageable with and disengageablefromthe drill. In this connection it is to be understood that after the drill has been lowered to its proper place in the well it becomes necessary to disengage the lowering tool' therefroi'n. The present in vention provides for automatic disengagement of the jaws of the tool from the head of the drill and also for automatic locking of the jaws in disengaged position. And yet when used as a lifting tool the jaws automatically engage the head. of the drill and are automatically locked in such engage ment. This advantageous action is had without necessitating any tedious oi diijiicult manipulations. Y

Another object is to provide a combined loweringrand lifting tool of this character which is of simple, duraliile and rugged con struction, not liable to become bent, broken or disordered by the severe usage ofectual working conditions, and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide-a: well drill adapted to facilitate the operation of the means for rais ng and lowering the dr l. Other objects and advantages re 'rodeinployed for opening the jaws, together with the associated connecting piece between 5 of Fig. 4,,

e in. certain novel features of the constructioin] 7, 1926. Serial nosiaasls.

Figure l isadetail View of the gravity lock; for holding the aws open,

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 1Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the aws,

F1g. ure 'r 1s a vertical section of the tool with its jaws shown open,

Figure 8 is a similar view showing a different position of the parts with thejaws closed,

Figure. 9 is a horizontal sectiononline 99 of Fig. 8,

Figure is a detail showing the latch member in locked operative position,

Figure 11 is a similar View with the latch shown locked when the'too'l is to be usedas a raising tool, and I Figure 12 is a side elevation of theupper portion of a drill.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally an expansibleand contractible rotary drill of the type 'fOll ing the subject matter of my application filed Jun 27, 1923, Serial Number 648,15. I

This drill 1 is designed to belowered down through the drill stem 2 and expanded and locked in position and also may be collapsed andliftedup through the stem whenever desired. As usual this drill has a weight 3 and also a control bar tat theupper'end of which a: head 5'is provided, the head 5 be ingrigidwith the control bar 4. As shown this. head has adow'nwardly' presented shoulder 5 and-also has its upper surface 5" roundedoifa The present invention proposes the pro vision of longitudinal grooves 6 in the pe riphery of the wei it 5 to insure rapid and easy passage of the mud away from the low; erin g and lifting. means and to prevent mud or sediment from building up on the weightand clogging or interferingwith the action of the tool. i

The combination lowering and lifting tool constituting this invention comprises pair of similar aws 7 and 8, each having thegeneral form ofhalf a, hollow cylinder. Inten,

mediate their ends the jaws? and 8 have transversely alined slots 9 and 10' in' which the ends 11 and 12of a connecting piece designated generally at '18 is fitted, the slot ends of the connecting. piece bei'ngso shapedto- -per1nit;the' aws ,to oscillate on theendsof vthe connecting piece. PlVOt pins lei conill cnlargrciuent ol' the strain the jaws to oscillating or pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, The re! tical edaes of the jaws are spaced from each other to allord the necessary clearance and the outer peripheries of the taper from the points of their connection with the connect-pg pi i to their upper ends as indicated at l and 8 respectively. The lower ends ol the jaws may be rounded oil slightly.

The jaws are suspended upon a cable or other suitable lOWGl'il'lg line (not shown) by means of a control rod 15 slidably titted in an opening; provided therefor in the connecting piece 13 and extending axially of the tool between the jaws T and The up per end at the rod 1:; is adapted tor connection with the cable and adjacent the lower ends of the rod a shoulder 16 is provided and is designed to engage the connecting piece 13 to limit the upward movement of the rod relative to the tool.

Upwardly lacing shoulders 17 are formed on the jaws adjacent to but slightly spaced upwardly from the lower ends thereof, said shoulders 17 being designed to engage the downwardly presented shoulder 5 on the head of the drill whereby to ellicetively grip the drill. Inclined or bevelled guiding; 18 are provided on the extreme lower ends of the jaws to facilitate the passage of the jaws over the head 5.

Removableinverted J-shaped latches designated generally at 19 and 19 are carried respectively by the jaws 7 and S and are cooperable with keepers formed in the opposed jaw. These latches each has a long leg Bl slidably titted in a slot provided in the j aw carrying the latch, the slot opening through the bottom of the jaw and the leg .21 jjirojecting down below the jaw when in "latching position, see Figs. 1 and 10. The slots are enlarged laterally above the lower end of. the jaw and open out through the adjacent vertinil face or edge oil. the jaw as indicated at 25. Through this lateral slot the cross member 23 of the latch UXlIOIH the cross nieinber projecling: beyond the jaw and carrying at its outer end the depending short log r; of the latch. A coiled sprii'ig; 535 is carried by each jaw above its latch to limit the upward nmrclnents of the latch and to hold it yieldably in locking position. T he keeper 20 is 'l'ornlcd by slotting; the jaw in which it is formed circuinilcrentially inwardly from its vertical. face as at 26 and then downwardly as at 27.

A lock is provided to :nitoinatically loch the jaws in position to disengage the drill and this locl: preferably comprises a loch sleeve 28 slidably titted on the upper end o l. the control rod 15 and having a socket in its lower portion designed to receive and rather snugly lit the upper tapered end per tions 7 and 8* of the jaws when the upper ends of the jaws are brought together. This sleeve 528 has a central bore 28" coinnninicatinawith socket Q9 and a plurality of radial. ducts 28 lead from here 28 through the periphery oi the sleeve to provide an escape for thiclr mud and sand which accumulates in the sleeve in its downward movement,

this escape facilitating the engagement oi? the sleeve with the top of the jaws 7 and 8.

Means Pl'OVltlOtl to swing the jaws on their pivots id to bring the shoulders 17 toward each other and into engagement with the shonldcr 5 ol the lu-ad I3 ot the drill and this nicans jn'clerably comprises two tapered or conical cx ianding collars 30 and 33a" lircdly connected to the rod 15 on opposite sides of member l3 and cooperablc with corrcspoinlingly tornnid surfaces 4h) and l1 and ell) and ll provided on the jaws T and 8. ll 'hcn the shoulders 17 have been spread apart by lowering of rod 15 the collar 30 is acconnnodatcd in recesses 4-2 and in Fig. 7. When the jaws have been c cred as shown in Fig. 8 by 'aising of rod l5 collar 30 located in recesses 42- and 1-3 The device in use as a lowering tool is m v I x shonn in h lgure l. lhe aws 4 and 8 are locked in closed. position by the latches 19 ainl it) and in such position their shoulders 11? ei'igago under the shoulder a of the head 5 or the drill. The lock sleeve 28 is maintained ole *ated as its lower end rests on the spread upper ends of the laws. The weight of the tool and drill is carried by the lower ins; line since at this time the shoulder 16 ol the rod engages the uiulcrside of the connecting piece 13. W'hen the drill has reached the proper position in the drill stern and is expanded and locked in such position the lowering; tool dropped down on the drill so that the legs 21 of the latches strike the weig it 21 ot the drill whereby to release the lalclnxs. tire to the tool which causes l llfi-l tfilllttlll col-- lar Ill) to engage walla db" and ll and open the jaws. llurtlieriuore the lower lJ-Itk'i-fllfllil end 18 of the tool. reacts withthc beveled upper ol? the weight 3 to end 0 spread the lower ends of the jznvshnd disengage the shoulders 17 from the shoulder 5*. this brings the upper ends of the jaws together and the lock sleeve 28, which is hoary drops downwardly so that its socltet 29 telescopes over the upper end Oil? the jaws thereby holding the jaws in open pesition. The lowering tool may be raised out oi. the well and the drilling carried on.

ll hcn the device is used as an elevating or ii Fling; tool the long" slcevc 28 (is trlcen oil and the tool is then loweredinto the well until the lower ends of the jaws engage the rounded sur'i ace 5" ol': the head 5 of the control, bar 4-. The coaction of the guiding surtaccs 18 with this rounded surface 5" results lhe rod 15 also lowers rcla loo llo

lllll head to bring the shoulder 17 below the shoulder 5, of the head 5. Then when the,

cable is elevated the conical collar coacts with the surfaces 410 and 41 to automatically swing the jaws to closed position and cause shoulders 17 to engage the shoulder 5 of the head.

Preferably the latches 19 and 19 are employed only when the combination tool is passed down through very thick mud, to prevent the possibility of undesirable release of the drill at such a time. However, the

T latches may be employed as often as may be desirable.

1. A tool of the character described comprising apair of jaws, means for pivotally connecting the jaws to each other intermediate their ends, said jaws having their lower ends adapted to engage a drill,-and a latch for holding the lower ends of the jaws closed,

said latch having a portion projecting forwardly of the jaws and engageable with the drillto release the latch.

2. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of aws, means for pivotally connecting the jaws to each other intermediate their ends, said jaws having their lower ends adapted to engage a drill, a latch for holding the lower ends of the jaws closed, said latch having a portion projecting forwardly of the jaws and engageable with the drill to release the latch, and a lock cooperable with the upper end of the jaws for holding the lower ends of the jaws open, said lock being biased to automatically have locking engagement with the upper ends of the jaws when said upper ends are broughttogether.

' 3. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of jaws, a connecting piece eX- tending between the jaws and pivotally con nected thereto, a control rod slidably extended through the connecting piece and having means cooperable therewith to limit the upward movement of the rod relative to" ing beyond the tool and engageable with the'drill, and co-operating means on the rod and jaws for closing the jaws.

4. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of j aws, a connecting piece eX- tending between the jaws and pivotally con v nected thereto, a control rod slidably extended through the connecting piece and having means cooperabletherewith to limit the upward movement of the rod relative to the connecting piece, the forward ends of the jaws having means adapted to grip a drill and also having inclined guiding surface to spread the jaws and guide them onto the drill, a spring pressed latch for holding the jaws closed, said latch having a release member projecting beyond the tool and engageable wit-h the drill, and cooperating means on the rod and jaws for closing the jaws, and comprising a tapered expanding collar on the rod, the jaws having correspondingly formed cooperating surfaces.

A tool of the character described comarisin a air of 'aws a connectin iece b 7 P1 extending between the jaws and pivotally connected thereto, a control rod slidably extended through the connecting piece and having means cooperable therewith to limit the upward movement of the rod relative to the connecting piece, the forward ends of the jaws having means adapted to grip a drill and also having inclined guiding surface to spread the jaws and guide them onto the drill, a latch for holding the jaws closed, said latch having a release member project-- ing beyond the tool and engageable with the drill, and a lock sleeve slidably mounted on the upper end of the rod and having a socket adapted to receive the upper ends of the jaws when said upper ends are brought together to hold the lower ends of the jaws open.

6. 'A tool of the character described comprising a pair of jaws pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends, the forward portions of the jaws havingshoulders designed to have gripping engagement with the drill and also having inclined surfaces cooperable with the drill to spread the jaws, and a latch for holding the jaws together, said latch having a release member projecting beyond the jaws and engageable with the drill. a I

7. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of jaws pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends, the forward portions of the jaws having shoulders designed to have gripping engagement with the drill and also having inclined surfaces cooperable with the drill to spread the jaws, and an inverted J-shaped. latch slidably mounted on one of the jaws, said latch having a long leg projecting down below the jaws, a cross member projecting-laterally beyond the jaw and a short leg depending from the cross member, said other jaw being slotted to define a keeper for the cooperable portion of the cross member and for the short leg.

' 8. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of jaws, means for pivotally connecting the jaws to each other intermediate' their ends, such jaws having their lower ends adapted to engage a drill and a lock cooperable with the upper ends of the jaws for holding the lower ends of the jaws open, said lock'being adapted to automatiwitty have inviting engagement with the 11 pm- 01111;. of the jaws when said upper ends me hrmight together 5). ft (Uni of the character described cenv prising; :1 penof jaws, av connecting piece extenaii hetnnen the jaws and pivetaiiy eenneuteti thereto, a eentl'ei red siidahi extended thirtmgh the ennneeting piece and having menus (e-operable therewith to limit the upward movement of the red relative to the eenneeting; piece, the ifOlWiU'd ends of the jaw; having means adapted to grip :1 drill and arise having inclined guiding surfaces to spread the jaws and guide them onto the (hill, cooperating means on the rod and j aws for closing the jaws, and nine-k sleeve siid- :ihiy mounted en the control rod and having a Filt'iwt engugeable with the upper end of the jaws for holding the iower ends of the OSCAR MARTIN CARTER; 

